1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a LAN (Local Area Network) system that is suitable for a wireless network system and that causes a base station thereof to permit a non-authenticated external terminal station to access a predetermined server or network-connected device.
2. Description of the Prior Art
FIG. 1 shows the structure of a conventional wireless network system. Referring to FIG. 1, a wireless base station 11 of a LAN 1 receives an authentication request issued by a wireless terminal station 22 that is outside the LAN 1. Thereafter, the wireless base station 11 asks an inner LAN authenticating server 12 to authenticate the wireless terminal station 22. When the inner LAN authenticating server 12 does not authenticate the wireless terminal station 22, the wireless base station 11 disposes of packets received from the wireless terminal station 22. Alternatively, the wireless base station 11 unconditionally authenticates all wireless terminal stations.
In a prior art reference as JPA 11-205388 titled “Packet Filter Apparatus (translated title)” by Kazuo Hashimoto et. al., there are provided a direct path which connects a packet filtering apparatus with a private network and a firewall path which connects the packet filtering apparatus with the private network via a firewall. When the packet filtering apparatus receives a data packet from the private network, the packet filtering apparatus adds authentication information to the data packet and transmits the data packet to a public network. When the packet filtering apparatus receives a data packet from the firewall, the packet filtering apparatus transmits the data packet to the public network. In addition, when the packet filtering apparatus receives a data packet from the public network, the packet filtering apparatus determines whether or not authentication information is added to the data packet. If added, the packet filtering apparatus deletes the authentication information and transmits the data packet to the private network. If not added, the packet filtering apparatus transmits the data packet to the firewall.
However, the conventional wireless network system has the following disadvantages. In the wireless network system, if wireless terminal stations are not registered for authentication, a wireless base station does not permit the wireless terminal stations to access a LAN or a server. Thus, when conference attendees use the wireless terminal stations and the wireless base station, the wireless terminal stations must be registered for authentication beforehand. Alternatively, the wireless base station may unconditionally authenticate all the wireless terminal stations. However, in this case, when the wireless base station is connected to the LAN, the security of the system will be threatened.